PARCC has released the Accommodations Manual for public comment through May 13, 2013. Representatives from Arizona’s Department of Education have been intimately involved and influential in the development of this document and would like to invite questions and feedback from the field.

In order to facilitate this, a webinar has been scheduled for Thursday, May 2, 2013, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is critical that district leadership and EL specialists, as well as general education and special education teachers understand the accommodation proposals contained in the manual. Many of the accessibility features of the new PARCC assessment will impact general education students as well as those with special needs. The PowerPoint presentation will highlight features of the document as well as provide opportunities for questions and feedback.

This training applies information from previous Secondary Transition training (s) conducted by our ADE/ESS transition specialists. The expectation is that participants attending this training come with a foundation of Indicator 13 knowledge. It is geared for those that are looking to evaluate their IEPs and increase the potential success of the transition plan, for individuals with disabilities, by answering four essential evaluative questions. You will receive clarification on the differences between interest, preferences, and strengths assessment information, how to approach the development of activities, as well as course work documentation related to the measurable postsecondary goals. After a quick review of Indicator 13 information, each IEP will be reviewed to answer the four essential evaluative questions that are designed to write better ‘transition plans’.

This interactive workshop is especially designed for special educators responsible for developing and implementing IEPs that include transition planning for students with significant intellectual disabilities. Examples of age-appropriate transition assessments and interagency collaboration will be provided.

A Focus on Coordination & Collaboration; DES-RSA, DES-DDD and PEAs
(A System of coordination and collaboration across stakeholders that impact the left of an individual with disabilities)

This session will give the participants an awareness of: Two key supports/services for individuals with disabilities that are available while in secondary education and after a student exits from high school (Arizona Department of Education/Exceptional Student Services, Rehabilitation Services Administration and the Division of Developmental Disabilities); the roles of each agency in the transitioning of youth with disabilities to adult life; the eligibility requirements for these supports/services and; who to contact. You will be able to ask questions of representatives from these agencies directly.

The Post School Outcomes (PSO) Survey web-based application accessed via the ADE Common Logon will be available between July 1 and September 30, 2013 for students who exited during the 2011—2012 school year. All public education agencies (PEAs) serving students aged 16 and older are encouraged to participate in the PSO Survey on a yearly basis for programmatic planning and improvement purposes, but are only required to participate in the assigned year for their district or charter school. Note: PSO data from PEAs that conduct the PSO Survey outside of an assigned data collection year will not be reported to the Office for Special Education Programs (OSEP) or publicly reported. However, voluntary participation in the PSO is a great opportunity for PEAs to review and inform their transition practices. All PEAs that participate in the PSO Survey will be able to access their schools’ results through the web-based application.

Trainings: ADE/ESS will offer webinar trainings on the PSO Survey data collection requirement, including information on how to use the PSO Survey web-based application, as well as how to interpret PSO data. Please see the flyer for webinar dates and a description of available trainings. All PEA personnel administering the PSO Survey are strongly encouraged to attend one of the offered webinars. For more information and to register for a webinar, consult the ADE/ESS PSO website, http://tinyurl.com/PSO2013.

The Arizona Education Employment Board (AEEB) is a free employment board, designed exclusively for the education recruitment needs of Arizona Schools. In 2011-2012, 3077 education jobs were filled by districts and schools using the employment board. The AEEB averages 8,000 hits per day, with a high of 13,000 hits per day during busy recruitment months (April, May, and June). The AEEB is one of the most frequently visited education employment websites in the United States.

This training applies information from previous Secondary Transition training (s) conducted by our ADE/ESS transition specialists. The expectation is that participants attending this training come with a foundation of Indicator 13 knowledge. Each participant is required to bring a copy of an IEP (do not rely on online connectivity for your IEP as this is not always available). The IEP must be FERPA compliant (redacted of student specific information). After a quick review of Indicator 13 information, each IEP will be reviewed to answer four key questions that are designed to write better “transition plans”.

A Focus on Coordination & Collaboration: DES-RSA, DES-DDD, and PEAs
A system of coordination and collaboration across stakeholders that impact the life of an individual with disabilities.

This session will give the participants an awareness of: Two key supports/services for individuals with disabilities that are available while in secondary education and after a student exits from high school (Arizona Department of Education/Exceptional Student Services, Rehabilitation Services Administration and the Division of Developmental Disabilities); the roles of each agency in the transitioning of youth with disabilities to adult life; the eligibility requirements for these supports/services; and who to contact. You will be able to ask questions of representatives from these agencies directly.

Date: March 12, 2013

Time: 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM

Where: Amphitheater School District
Wetmore Center, East Conference Room

A surrogate parent represents the rights of a student who is currently receiving special education, or is being considered for special education eligibility, when no other adult is available or has the legal authority.

How many children does the program serve?

The surrogate parent program currently serves over 200 students across the state with new applications received every month. These students need adult volunteers to represent them as special education decisions are made.

How can I become a surrogate parent volunteer?

Volunteers must attend a workshop on the Surrogate Parent Program and complete a state and federal background clearance check. The workshop will teach volunteers about the special education process in Arizona. Volunteers must submit fingerprints to the Arizona Department of Public Safety and be issued a fingerprint clearance card in order to serve as a surrogate parent. Volunteers may be reimbursed up to $65 for the cost of the fingerprint clearance card.

The future of assessment is changing for all students. All students in Arizona who participate in the general assessment (AIMS) will be assessed with the PARCC assessment in spring of 2015. As educators we have to begin to shift our ideas of what state assessments have looked like to a new development of state assessments.

Please take the time to provide feedback on the draft policy addressing writing accommodations for students with disabilities, your feedback is critical and the careful consideration of allowable accommodations will greatly impact our students. PARCC will be accepting public comments through February 20, 2013.